essential oil

Reader's Digest 5月号の記事 Why There's No Clean Way to Peel An Orangeからの引用です。
Those tiny dimples on citrus fruits are oil glands, where the essential orange, lemon, and lime oil that inevitably get spritzed all over your hands are synthesized.
"essential oil" はカタカナでもよく見かけますが、意味を気にしていませんでした。英語で見たのは初めてだと思いますが、辞書で意味を確認します。
・Oxford English Dictionary: A natural oil typically obtained by distillation and having the characteristic fragrance of the plant or other source from which it is extracted.: Avoid buying essential oils in plastic bottles as the essential oil can dissolve the plastic.
・Collins Dictionary: any of various volatile organic oils present in plants, usually containing terpenes and esters and having the odour or flavour of the plant from which they are extracted: used in flavouring and perfumery: Plant essential oils can contain chemicals that might have a direct effect on the patient or react with prescription medicines.
・Cambridge English Dictionary: an oil, usually with a strong smell, that is taken from a plant and is used to make perfume, or for rubbing into a person's body during massage: Lavender, peppermint, and jasmine are essential oils that are widely available.
私は知りませんでしたが香水を使う女性には常識の単語でしょうね。